Once Upon a Diamond (35 page)

As Kate dropped her fingers into the bag, she froze when
she felt something cool and slick. She pulled the object from its pouch. Perched
in the palm of her hand was the largest diamond she had ever seen. There was a
gasp of awe from the group.

Devin peeked over her shoulder, his eyes growing wide. “Jupiter!
That’s at least a couple hundred karats."

Kate moved the diamond toward the flickering candles as
she passed it to Tristan. “I believe this is yours.”

Tristan’s hand shook as he cradled the precious gem in
his palm. He turned to Robert. “I don’t know what to say. Where did you find
it?” 

Robert smiled. “Today, when I went back to the scene of
Gaston’s death, I thought I would take a look inside his carriage. There was a
secret compartment beneath the seat. I was surprised as anybody to find the
diamond there.”

With a shuddering breath, Tristan passed the diamond to Edward.
Edward’s fingers caressed the gem as if it were made of the finest cloth. “It’s
as beautiful as father said it was.”

Devin touched Tristan’s shoulder. “It’s what you dreamed
of, Trist. Your quest is finished."

Tears pricked Kate’s eyes. Tristan had found his
diamond, now what? His expression told her that finding the diamond meant more
to him than anything, even her love. Oh, she knew in some way she was being
silly. But she wanted him to love her more than anything else in the world.

Would he become more obsessed with the diamond now that
it would be under his roof? 

The answer to her question was in his eyes. They gleamed
with such delight, she knew she had lost him. She wanted him to be happy, but
in her heart she knew she could not live with a man that loved a gem more than
her.

The man shoved the pistols into his coat pockets and
laughed. It was going to be too easy. All that money would be his. He deserved
every penny. He had worked too hard to let the earl move in on his treasure.

First, that little wife of his had to go. That was his
main concern. After that, things would fall into place. Everyone would be
heartbroken. Then he could make his move.

He would take that diamond too. Kill two birds with one
stone.

Yes, indeed. In the beginning, he’d had other plans. But
he could see it all clearly now. It was meant to happen this way. People would
believe someone had stolen the diamond and murdered the new countess in one
blow. No one would know the truth. And if the earl bothered to interfere, he
would be dead too.

Kate wrinkled her nose in disgust as she sat next to Tristan
in the carriage ride home. All that fuss about a diamond.
She
couldn’t get a word in edgewise as her husband ranted and raved about the gem. She
wanted nothing to do but to box up that stupid stone and send it away.  

As
soon as the carriage stopped in front of Tristan’s townhouse, she swiped her
birdcage off the floor, departed the carriage, and strode toward the door.

Once
inside, she continued to close her ears to her husband’s one-sided conversation
and clenched her teeth in frustration. She loved Tristan, but enough was
enough.

Smiling like a fool, Tristan raced ahead of her and opened
the door to his bedchamber. He flashed her a charming smile that made most
ladies swoon, but Kate was not impressed.

She grabbed the key on his bureau and continued to strut
toward the adjoining bedchamber, swaying her hips as she moved, knowing that
her husband’s eyes were locked on her backside, devouring her with every step
she took. Let him see if a diamond could do that! 

Tristan drew in a heavy breath. “Sweetheart, I have a
special bottle of wine in my
–
”  

The door slammed in his face. Tristan’s grin vanished,
the thud hitting his ears like a crashing tidal wave. But when the key clicked
in the lock, he ground his teeth and counted to ten. “Stubborn mule,” he
muttered. What was the matter with her? He had every right to speak of their
marriage to her father. He had given her one week. He was her husband.

Cursing the female mind, Tristan strode across the room,
and not waiting for his valet, he ripped off his jacket and waistcoat. Two
pearl buttons hit the floor and rolled beneath the bed.

He dropped his gaze. His bed. His marriage bed. 

He yanked off his shirt and cravat, threw them onto the
floor, and glared at his wife’s locked door, as if it would melt beneath his
burning glare. His bare chest heaved up and down as his palms opened into a
stiff, flat pose against his sides.

Hell and spitfire! There were some things Kate might get
away with, but this was not one of them. He would tame that shrew if it took
the rest of his life.

He took in another torturing breath. Matthew’s warning did
little to comfort him now. But Kate would not win this one. She may try to stay
his advances with her stiff and unyielding will, however, he distinctly
recalled the way she had melted his arms every time he held her.

This was not the Duke of Ridgewater’s home, and she was
not the duchess. Perhaps she had learned this feminine trick from her Aunt Georgiana,
but he would have it out with this little shrew. And then, well, hell. He
smiled. Then, they would make up.

K
ate fell onto her
bed, wondering what Tristan would do next.

Perhaps she should not have been so hasty. She could
almost see his green eyes flickering like tiny flames, igniting the fire
between them.

She chewed her lip in unease at the numbing silence on
the other side of the door. Had she pushed him past the brink any normal man
could stand?

She jumped when she heard footsteps in the hallway. Had Tristan
been sneaking into the hall while she had been rethinking her plans? How could
she have forgotten to lock that other door? 

Clutching her pillow against her breast, she eyed the
adjoining room, wondering if she could make it through that door and down the
stairs before Tristan knew otherwise. Determined, she sat up and swung her legs
over the side of the bed.   

But before she could move another muscle, the door to
the hall flung open. She blinked in shock at the sight of Tristan’s mother standing
before her. With a sneer, the lady slammed the door shut. The chill between
them grew.

“Good evening,” Kate said, trying to gather her emotions
and keep her voice calm. “I hope we can get along now that I’m part of the
family. I’m sorry you had to leave so early.”

“Pompous windbag!” Kate swallowed a laugh at her
parrot’s unseemly timing.

But the lady appeared disoriented and Kate instantly
felt remorse. “He’s an addlepated bird. Don’t pay him any attention.”

 “I’m not what you think,” the lady said, her lips
quivering. “I love Tristan even though I might not show it. I only wanted the
best for him.”  

 Kate frowned. “Have you told him?”

The lady looked around the room like a child afraid of
her own shadow. “No.” 

Kate’s heart twisted. “Why are you telling me now? Why
not Tristan?”

“I’m ashamed. I can’t tell him now. He would never
forgive me.”

“Never forgive you?” Kate replied hotly. “What kind of
mother would deny her firstborn?”

“I’m dying,” the lady said in a raw whisper. “The doctor
says it’s only a matter of months, maybe days. A lump in my stomach.”

Kate reached out to the woman. “You have time now. Tell
your son you love him.”

“But I’ve given him nothing all these years. I should
have stood up to my husband. I couldn’t show my love for my son, don’t you see?”

No, I don’t see, Kate wanted to scream.

Tristan’s mother threw her trembling hands to her face
and began to sob. “I’m so ashamed. My son hates me. I tried to make things up
with Edward, but it wasn’t enough.”

“I don’t understand.”

“My husband was of the mind that the firstborn must not
be coddled. I couldn’t fight him. I tried a few times, but was beaten. I feared
for the very safety of my children. Don’t you see? I had to comply. Gambling seemed
to fill the void in my heart for a while, and then I was stuck. I fell into
debt and sold the family diamond. The boys were young and never saw the
diamond. My husband never knew what I had done. Tristan will hate me now. He’ll
never forgive me for that.”

Kate took the woman gently by her shoulders. “Here now. Don’t
cry. Let’s go down to the library and get a drink to warm you. And then we can
talk to your son.”

Kate guided the woman into the hall and down the steps. After
settling Tristan’s mother on the library sofa, Kate moved to the sideboard and
poured her a good amount of brandy.

All these years wasted! Had the earl truly forbidden his
wife not to love their firstborn because he was afraid of coddling the boy? And
had his wife sold the diamond that the man spent years trying to get back? Good
heavens, what a mess!

The sound of the library door snapping closed hit Kate’s
ears. “Turn around, my dear. I can’t very well shoot you in the back.”

Kate spun on her feet, the brandy sloshing over the edge
of the glass. “Mr. Travis!”

“That’s right. Now, where’s that diamond?”

The man pointed a pistol straight at her heart.

Shocked, Kate fell back a step. The blood drained from her
face. She had known this man for years. He was almost part of the family. “The
diamond? I don’t understand.”    

“Then let me enlighten you,” Mr. Travis said coolly. “Your
father and brother were supposed to be dead by now. And you were supposed to
marry my stepson. I had a soft spot for you, Katherine, that is, until you
married the earl. I couldn’t very well let you get away with that! Found out
about your quick wedding and the diamond’s timely appearance from a little spy
I had at the duke’s. Poor boy broke his neck in the gardens only minutes ago.
Quite a shame.”

Kate could barely believe what this man was saying. From
the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Tristan’s mother sliding lower on
the sofa and was relieved the man hadn’t seen her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t you? Your father didn’t die aboard ship, but he will
die of heartbreak after you’re killed by an intruder, that’s me, of course. And
if not heartbreak, it will be something else. Then your brother, well, he will
die of some illness while traveling back to Boston. I’ve thought it all out.”

Kate’s stomach turned at the man’s vicious plan. “You
tried to kill my father? Why? You’re his good friend!”

“Friend? I suppose in a way I was, but that, my dear, is
not what makes a man. It’s money, Katherine. And I aim to have a lot of it. But
yes, I paid someone to push Robert overboard. I was taking a little money here
and there from your father’s business. He would have discovered it eventually,
don’t you see? I had to rid myself of him.”

“And Captain Gaston?”

“Ah, the captain, rest his soul. Ran him over with a
hired hack, not me of course, paid for it, you see. Had to rid myself of him
too. We were partners. It would have worked out perfectly if your father had
died like he was supposed to and your brother hadn’t ventured to England with
you. I would have done away with Matthew in a few weeks. But he surprised me. He
left America before I even knew what was happening.” 

Kate needed to keep the man talking. She needed time.
Tristan would be looking for her. “But Matthew left with me, and that spoiled your
plans.”

“Indeed it did. You were supposed to go to England alone
and come back alone. I’m sorry, my dear. It wasn’t in my plans for you to die. But
I do have to look out for myself. Can’t worry about any children from your
union, now, can I? Have to get this done. With you not wed to Jake, the
shipping line would have slipped from my hands.”

“Jake? I have no feelings for your stepson! It would
never
–
”

“Katherine Josephine!" Kate’s head snapped up. Tristan
was coming downstairs. “Hell’s teeth, answer me, woman!”

“Don’t say a word,” Mr. Travis barked, waving the pistol.
“Not yet, or I’ll have to shoot him. I’ve locked the door, but that only gives
us a few minutes. Perhaps I’ll have to escape through the window like a thief
after all.”

The man was insane. Kate worried for Tristan’s life. “I
see you made it in here without a problem, why don’t you just leave through
that window and we can forget this ever happened.” 

“Ah, Katherine, you know I can’t do that. And it’s a
pity I won’t be able to take that diamond now, but I think it will serve its
purpose. A thief has to have a motive, after all. You caught me before I had a
chance to rob you, eh? That’s how it will read in the papers. So, tell your
husband, you’re going to be right up. Sweetly, my dear. Very sweetly. For it is
your wedding night after all.”

Tristan rubbed a frustrated hand behind his neck. He had
been more than patient with Kate. She had hidden herself in the library,
thinking he wouldn’t come for her. But enough was enough. There was headstrong
and there was headstrong.

“Katherine Josephine!” He pounded his fist on the door. “Open
this door, wife!”

He paused, trying to control his temper, which he
suddenly realized had disappeared the moment he’d heard the snap of the lock to
her bedchamber door. But he wasn’t about to stand for this kind of behavior
from his wife.

Besides, making up with her was never going to happen if
this continued.

“Never, never, lock a door on me, woman. I’m going to
give you ten seconds and then ... The devil! You don’t want to know what might
happen if you don’t open this blasted door!”

He stepped back, took a few quick powerful leaps, and
with a ferocious grunt, rammed himself against the wooden barrier. It didn’t
move, but he did. He bounced back with an oath.

He jiggled the door’s handle at the same time slamming
his hand against the thick wood. He needed the deuced key.

Of course! He eased a hand over the top of the door and
felt for the extra key his housekeeper had put there if by chance she didn’t
have her set immediately available. His fingers hit metal, and he let out a
wicked grin. How delightful.

He inserted the key in the door and swung it open. “How
dare you
–
” He froze, taking in his wife’s pale face. “Kate?”

She was standing as cold as a statue, her eyes wide and
looking so frightened, it took him a second to realize she was staring at
something, or rather someone other than him. He turned to see Mr. Travis waving
a pistol at her chest. “What the devil?” 

“Not another step, or I’ll shoot! Do you hear me? I’ll
shoot!”

Tristan froze. “I’m not moving.”  

“You,” the man yelled to Kate, pointing the pistol at
her. “You ruined it all. If you would have gone to England without your
brother, I would have sent Jake to come for you. You could have married him, and
I wouldn’t have to shoot you.”   

Tristan realized the man meant to pull the trigger. His
stomach clenched at the thought of the gun exploding in Kate’s face. The man
was crazed.

 “Tristan,” Kate said softly, moving toward him.

“Stay right there!” Mr. Travis snapped. Kate froze in
her tracks when the man swung the pistol toward Tristan. “Robert never guessed
I was stealing money. Ah, but I was his good friend after all. Such a  pity.”

Tristan took a quick step forward. “Perhaps we could
make a deal.”

Hard blue eyes locked on Tristan’s face. “Don’t you dare
come any further or I’ll shoot your little countess right here."

Tristan halted as the gun pivoted back toward Kate. The
chilling silence was like a steel weight crushing against his lungs. He could see
Kate’s haunting expression, but he also saw the fierceness that lay beneath it,
and that scared him. The look reminded him of the inn. The little idiot was
thinking of saving them both.

Mr.
Travis’s mad laugh broke through the icy stillness. “Get over there by your
wife, Lancewood. Yes, the more I think of it, the better this will look.”

 “You’re
the one who wanted me killed?" Tristan replied, as he inched closer to his
wife. If only he could stand in front of Kate before she did something stupid.

Mr.
Travis laughed. “No, I believe that was your friend, Lord Douberry. Tried to
kill you a few times, did he? Botched everything from what I heard. Of course,
we
had nothing to do about that.”

“We?”
Tristan asked, feeling a shiver down his spine when he saw his mother moving
along the sofa. What the devil was she doing here?

“Oh,
yes,
we
. Captain Gaston and I  were partners, you see. But as to the
diamond, I hadn’t planned anything until Gaston had informed me of the
situation when I came to London.”

Tristan’s
lips flattened. “So, you didn’t just arrive in England?”

The
man let out a diabolical smile. “Knew I pegged you for a smart one, my lord. Yet
it seems everybody in England had knowledge about Fletcher and that diamond,
including Gaston, who decided to be sidetracked by the gem. And then your
little wife here who was supposed to marry my stepson had to ruin it for me. Katherine
and you fell in love and secretly married. How very droll. And how very
unfortunate for you. Course, I had no idea Gaston favored the girl, but that is
neither here nor there, is it?”

“How
much do you want?” Tristan growled.

“It’s
too late for that,” the man laughed.

“You’ve
been planning this for a long time, I take it?” Tristan needed to keep the man
talking. When the man let down his guard, that’s when Tristan would pounce.

“Of
course,” Mr. Travis went on. “After the Brackshire Ball you shoved your friend
Mr. Wilcox out of the carriage first. La, you believed it was an accident that
he was shot. Believe it or not, it was not an accident. Mr. Wilcox escaped an
earlier attempt in Boston, too. But he lived. ’Twas a pity I had to dispose of the
stupid men who messed up those attempts. Now, I find I must do everything
myself and finish the job
.”

Tristan finally understood. The man needed Kate dead. It
was too late to kill Tristan and make her a widow, hoping she would wed Jake. It
would be too messy. Mr. Travis couldn’t depend on Kate being part of his plan
anymore.